By Craig Zammit

SYDNEY: Sony Australia has unveiled a 12-channel Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for Cyber-shot and Handycam products designed to record the time, date and location of photos taken by a user anywhere around the world.

Using the GPS Image Tracker software provided, the GPS-CS1 (RRP $229), will allow users to track their photographic history in a global context via the use of Google Earth styled maps, with each photo listing detailed information on time and location.

“GPS is widely used for navigation in cars and is accepted as a useful tool,” said Sony Australia assistant product manager – Handycam and Cyber-shot accessories, Yasuko Sumino.

“Building on the benefits of GPS tracking, Sony has developed this unit for tracking consumers’ photographic histories.”

The key-ring sized GPS unit records the information onto an internal memory and applies the location information to the photos on a time basis, leaving users to view their map of the world complete with their own imagery from locations previously visited.

Weighing just 55 grams, the device features a battery life of up to 14 hours of location recording – enough to last more than a full day’s outing – and can accumulate data for up to one month.